


A Queer Weyr

by Sixthlight



Series: Old Guard Pern AU [1]
Category: The Old Guard (Movie 2020)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Pern Fusion, Community: theoldguardkinkmeme, Gen, Worldbuilding, sorry ms mccaffrey but it's not 1960 any more, we're in your weyrs making them queer
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-27
Updated: 2020-09-27
Packaged: 2021-03-07 19:42:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,250
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26683141
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sixthlight/pseuds/Sixthlight
Summary: It was the first time James had seen Y’suf in nearly two Turns, since his best Harper – for intelligence as much as song – had gone to a Hatching at Ista Weyr and never come back, suddenly thrust into a new life as a brown dragonrider.
Relationships: Andy | Andromache of Scythia/Quynh | Noriko/Nile Freeman, Booker | Sebastien Le Livre/Booker's Wife, Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani/Nicky | Nicolò di Genova
Series: Old Guard Pern AU [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1942555
Comments: 24
Kudos: 210





	1. Chapter 1

“Master James,” Yusuf said joyfully, when he laid eyes on him, and gave the Master Harper one of his signature hugs, the kind that picked you up and swung you around. “It is so good to see you again.”

“And you, Yusuf,” James said. “No, I’m sorry, I mean -”

“Don’t worry about it,” Yusuf, who was properly Y’suf now, said, sitting down opposite James at the table. It was the first time James had seen him in nearly two Turns, since his best Harper – for intelligence as much as song – had gone to a Hatching at Ista Weyr and never come back, suddenly thrust into a new life as a brown dragonrider. “You may call me anything you like, Master Harper; I owe you too much to worry about slips of the tongue.”

James had persuaded Yusuf’s father, the Lord of Keroon Hold, to send him to the Harper Hall fifteen years before, having seen the boy’s obvious talent. It had been a blow to lose him to another, stranger turn of fate.

“That’s very kind,” said James. “And in return, you can tell me the truth about some of those strange rumours around your Weyr. The other Weyrleaders seem to think it very odd, and poorly-organised.”

“Nothing further from the truth,” Yusuf said immediately. “It’s the best-disciplined on the planet, from everything I’ve seen. Andromache would not let it be otherwise.”

“The Weyrwoman? Yes, that’s what the others complain of – that since L’kon died she has become unmanageable. Two different men as Weyrleaders, switching back and forth, doesn’t speak of steadiness.”

Yusuf cocked his head. “I suppose it looks odd, from the outside. But it’s nothing like. N’colo and S’bastien are both excellent men, and good friends. It makes no odds to them which of them wears the title at any given moment. That’s up to the dragons to decide. The rest of us just live with their choice.”

“One would expect them to fight over Andromache – or become close to one of the younger queen riders, Nile or Quynh, and make a push for her to become Weyrwoman.”

Yusuf snorted. “No. Nobody will get far trying to drive a wedge between any of our queen riders. They are all closer to each other than anybody else in the Weyr.”

“Closer, like…” James hesitated to say more; Yusuf simply nodded. “Yes, like that. It makes them happy, and their dragons all like it – and who would argue with three queen dragons?”

James nodded. “I suppose that is why Andromache has resisted the push from Fort to take more bronze riders.”

Yusuf made a face. “Yes. Someone like S’ven or K’zak – it simply wouldn’t work, and they wouldn’t be successful, when it came time for a mating flight. Two bronze riders is enough for us for now.”

“Do you have a preference between them, for Weyrleader?”

“As Weyrleader? No,” Yusuf said simply. “They’re both good men. As men…” He smiled, wide and brilliant. “I prefer N’colo any day, but that is a matter of the heart. And no offence to S’bastien, who has had a lady love among the Weyr staff since before he became a rider, as they were both Weyr-raised. They have three sons and if anything were to come between them, his dragon would be more upset than anybody.”

“A matter of the heart,” James repeated, to make sure he had heard it right. Bronze and green riders, or bronze and blue, that was one thing – bronze and brown; that was as little-heard-of as queen riders who were Weyrmates.

“Yes.” Yusuf rested his chin in his hand. “Meeting him was almost – _almost_ – as much of a turning point in my life as Impression. And I do not say that lightly.”

“I don’t expect you would,” said James. “Well, that puts a very different complexion on what I’ve been hearing.”

Yusuf’s expression grew serious. “We’re not conventional at Ista. I know that. But I would put our riders up against the best in any Weyr, and we will be ready in seven years, when the time comes. If you can do anything for me, Master Harper, though you do not owe it – help us to do as we see fit, without interference, and let Andromache be the leader she deserves to be.”

“I will,” James said. “And, Yusuf – I am glad you are happy there. I know Impression is…what it is…but that doesn’t guarantee a peaceful life afterwards.”

“I am as happy as I could ever be,” Yusuf assured him. “Have no fear of that.”


	2. some additional backstory notes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> some other things which came to me while writing this that may amuse you all

  * So while the other much more uptight Weyrleaders are grumping about the GOINGS-ON at Ista Weyr, Y'suf is single-handedly visiting every Hold in Ista's area, inquiring how the Weyr could help them out with logistics and transport (as an alternative to training all the time) and leaving them absolutely charmed and delighted. Sometimes Nile comes too, and everybody falls over themselves because a REAL LIVE QUEEN RIDER but she's so sweet and friendly! They save Andy for special occasions because she is obviously fantastic but Very Intense.  
  

  * the great relationships Ista are developing with their Holders (leading to no or very little complaining about tithing) is ANOTHER reason the other Weyrleaders are grumpy but they could be taking lessons!!! it's on them.  
  

  * Yusuf and Nile probably Impressed at the same hatching, which is why they're buddies. Yusuf spent the first few weeks afterwards alternating between new-rider my-dragon-is-the-greatest-thing-in-the-universe dopiness and SHEER PANIC at his whole life being upended. He was both really good at and really enjoying the whole Harper/spy gig.   
  

  * N'colo was technically Weyrleader at the time but honestly in practice he and S'bastien act as co-Weyrleaders because who can keep track of which of them it technically is right now? not them that's for sure  
  

  * By the way they both wear their hair long and the girls all wear it short, yes you're welcome for those visuals  
  

  * anyway, N'colo went out of his way to be super-friendly and helpful and answer all of Yusuf's panicky questions and listen to him talk about the Harper Hall and how much he was going to miss it, and Yusuf - who was operating on the conventional understanding about how Weyr leadership works - was fully just "oh gosh the Weyrleader is such a nice person, making all this time for little old me who wasn't even supposed to Impress a dragon"  
  

  * until N'colo was like TECHNICALLY I CAN'T HIT ON YOU RIGHT NOW BECAUSE IT'S NOT GOOD FOR YOUR BABY DRAGON BUT CAN I JUST PUT IN A PITCH FOR A LITTLE LATER ON BECAUSE YOU ARE TOO CUTE AND FUNNY AND SMART TO BE SINGLE FOR VERY LONG IN THIS EXTREMELY LAID-BACK WEYR  
  

  * Yusuf went oh, OH, yes you CAN put in that pitch, I am VERY UP FOR THAT and then they maybe made out a bit even though they weren't really supposed to.  
  

  * Andy more or less just went "hi Nile, glad to have you with us, have you considered joining my dragon harem, it wasn't a harem until you showed up but it COULD be, I consider myself a visionary in this regard" and Nile went "why yes I would consider that the idea of compulsory heterosexuality was really weighing on my mind, where do I sign???"  
  

  * technically this makes it weird because either Andy or Quynh's dragons would have laid Nile's dragon's egg but I'm pretty sure dragon relationships DO get weird and quasi-incestuous like that so...shrug emoji



**Author's Note:**

> Written for [this kink meme prompt](https://theoldguardkinkmeme.dreamwidth.org/4011.html?thread=1220267#cmt1220267), which I saw and immediately went MY BODY IS READY I HAVE TRAINED MY ENTIRE LIFE TO FILL THIS:
> 
> _Look, kinkmeme, I’m really sorry but all I want is super specific fusion fics with obscure fandoms but if someone wanted to write some Dragonriders of Pern fic where the Old Guard impress dragons and fight Thread or are effectively Holdless vigilantes fighting against inequalities and bandits or something. I’d surely be obliged._


End file.
